By Odita Sunday
Access to maternal and basic healthcare services in Abwor/Oyis, Plateau State, is expected to improve following the commissioning of a new healthcare facility by the Nigerian Navy, in an intervention aimed at bringing essential medical services closer to residents.
The facility, located in Abwor/Oyis, Lankan District, Pankshin Local Government Area, was commissioned on 29 October 2026 under the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Special Intervention Quick Impact Project Scheme.
It is equipped with male and female wards, a maternity unit, a labour room, a nurse station and supporting conveniences, providing additional infrastructure for healthcare delivery in the community.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the ceremony, was represented by the Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Jonathan Mamman.
Speaking on behalf of the CNS, Rear Admiral Mamman said the project reflected the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to supporting communities through interventions that respond to their essential needs.
He explained that the facility was part of the Service’s Civil-Military Cooperation efforts, which seek to strengthen relations with host communities while contributing to their social development.
The Executive Chairman of Pankshin Local Government Council, in a goodwill message, welcomed the intervention and praised the project facilitator, Rear Admiral Nan-Manle Fredrick Damtong, for his contribution to the development of his community, the Local Government Area and Plateau State.
He described the facility as a significant addition to the community, expressing confidence that it would serve residents for generations.
The Chairman particularly welcomed the inclusion of a maternity unit, noting its potential to improve access to healthcare for women in the area. He also assured the Nigerian Navy that the community would support the project by ensuring the facility was properly used and maintained.
For the project facilitator, Rear Admiral Damtong, the completion of the facility was an opportunity to encourage residents to take responsibility for an intervention intended for their benefit.
He acknowledged the support of the CNS in making the project possible and urged beneficiaries to ensure its effective utilisation, proper maintenance and long-term sustainability.
The ceremony was attended by government officials from Pankshin Local Government Area, traditional rulers and other dignitaries, including the District Head and the Mishkom Mupun of Mupun Chiefdom, His Royal Highness Da Yusuf Walle Fwangbring.
The CNS’s representative and other guests subsequently toured the facility after its commissioning.
Beyond the new infrastructure, the project highlights the role of targeted community interventions in extending essential services to underserved areas, while strengthening the relationship between the Nigerian Navy and the communities it serves.
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